Cam″e‐o (kăm″ē̍‐ō̍), n.; pl.Cameos (#). [It. cammeo; akin to F. camée, camaïeu, Sp. camafeo, LL. camaeus, camahutus; of unknown origin.] A carving in relief, esp. one on a small scale used as a jewel for personal adornment, or like.
☞ Most cameos are carved in a material which has layers of different colors, such stones as the onyx and sardonyx, and various kinds of shells, being used.
Cameo conch(Zoöl.), a large, marine, univalve shell, esp. Cassis cameo, C. rua, and allied species, used for cutting cameos. See Quern conch.